Sleep on It

If you’re lacking sleep, you also might be packing on unwanted pounds. A study published in the July 2013 issue of the journal Sleep found that individuals who were in bed only four hours a night for five straight nights gained more weight than those in bed for 10 hours nightly under the same controlled laboratory conditions. The researchers’ explanation for the weight gain was simple: Because they were awake longer, those who slept less ate more meals. The study also found that dietary fat consumption was higher during late-night hours than at earlier times throughout the day. The take-home of this study is this: If you’re getting ample sleep (eight to 10 hours a night), it most likely means you’re not making midnight runs to Taco Bell or Burger King — yet another reason to get to bed at a reasonable hour.